LAS MUSAS BOOK BIRTHDAY - The Heron Princess

Today we celebrate the book birthday of The Heron Princess written by Musa Karla Arenas Valenti and illustrated by Vanessa Morales. This is the 4th book in the "Legendarios" chapter book series. We sat down with Karla to learn more about this exciting story!

Tell us about this latest installment in the series.
It’s been a few months since Emma and Martín moved to Chicago. When they first arrived, their family thought outgoing Emma would adjust quickly and shy Martín might have a harder time making friends. But surprisingly, Martín is fitting in just fine, while Emma wants to go back to Mexico more than anything.

She might not be able to go back to their previous home, but she can visit Mexico in the book of legends! And even better, this time the twins are joined by their abuela on the adventure. The book brings them into the story of Princess Hapunda and Lake Pátzcuaro. When an enemy tribe demands that Hapunda’s father hand her over to them, she faces a difficult choice: go with their enemies or refuse and risk her people’s safety.

Can the twins find a way to help the princess out of the tricky situation, or is this a tale without a happy ending?

That definitely sounds intriguing! Click the link below to see how teachers and educators can use "Legendarios" in a classroom setting. 

How can teachers and educators use your books in a classroom setting?
First, the books in this series are set up so that in each story, Emma and Martín get pulled into a different Mexican legend. Many of these legends are similar to stories told in other cultures. A fun activity for students is to track down other legends and try to identify how they are different and how they are the same. For example, in the first Legendarios book (The Wrath of the Rain God), the twins have to deal with a god who is angry because his thunderbolt has been stolen. This myth exists in many other cultures.   

Second, in each of the stories, the twins must solve a problem in order to be able to escape from the legend. This problem always relates to something they are dealing with in their real life. A good activity is for students to identify the problem that Emma and Martín are dealing with and then see if they can name the skills the twins learn in the legend that help them better cope with their day-to-day events. 

Finally, I have a comprehensive Reader's Guide on my website with guided questions to help students dive more deeply into these texts. 

get your copy of legendarios

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Karla Arenas Valenti is the Pura Belpré award winning author of best selling middle grade novels, chapter books, and picture books. Her books are on various state reading lists and have received multiple starred reviews, as well as being featured on NPR’s Sunday Edition, the Drew Barrymore Show, and several Best of the Year lists, including Kirkus Best Book of the Year, Banks Street Best Children’s Book, School Library Journal’s Best Books, Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year, Evanston Public Library Best Book of the Year, PEOPLE’s pick for best children’s book, and Best Books for kids by Entertainment Weekly.
Karla grew up in Mexico City, in a house built around a tree. Her childhood was filled with fantastical elements, which she incorporates into her books–taking children on journeys steeped in magical realism and fantasy.
Karla currently resides in the Chicagoland area with her husband and three kids, two cats, and hundreds of books.

Learn more about Karla and her books at www.KarlaValenti.com. To book an author visit or speaking engagement, please contact Sarah DeVore at How Now Booking ([email protected]).

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